Matti Bower, Jorge Exposito out in Miami Beach runoff

Matti Bower, Jorge Exposito out in Miami Beach runoff

Final results are in and the incumbents in the Miami Beach runoff are out. Challenging candidates Michael Grieco and Joy Malakoff increased their early lead in absentee ballots and early voting to beat Commissioner Jorge Exposito and Mayor Matti Bower in their respective runoffs quite handily. Well, with a wider margin than the newly elected […]

Early voting and ABs in Miami Beach have incumbents losing

Early voting and ABs in Miami Beach have incumbents losing

If the trends continue, both incumbents in the Miami Beach elections may be spending their last days at City Hall next week. According to the Miami-Dade Elections Department, and with only absentee ballots and early voting counted, both Michael Grieco and Joy Malakoff are winning their respective races against Commissioner Jorge Exposito and Mayor Matti […]

Miami Beach decision looms as Levine slate threatens

Miami Beach decision looms as Levine slate threatens

It’s been quiet on this blog for days as Ladra has been busy biting her nails about the outcome of today’s Miami Beach elections. Runoffs in three council races have never been so important. Why? Because the right candidate can help maintain checks and balances in the city by the sea for the next couple […]

Philip Levine gets candidate to swap backing in Beach race

Philip Levine gets candidate to swap backing in Beach race

An also ran candidate who had pledged his support to Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower in her runoff for a commission seat pulled a surprise switcheroo and endorsed her opponent, instead. And he admittedly did it so he could gain favor with the new mayor elect, Philip Levine. Oh, and because he knows Levine is […]

Philip Levine team leaves slate mate in the cold

Philip Levine team leaves slate mate in the cold

Miami Beach Mayor Elect Philip Levine is having a little shindig on Friday for his slate mates — it’s called a “friendraiser,” though, because I think it is past the deadline for reporting campaign contributions. But not everyone is included. The event posted on facebook Wednesday is for commission candidates Michael Greico and Joy Malakoff, […]

Dade Dems (finally) enter Beach race, for Micky Steinberg

Dade Dems (finally) enter Beach race, for Micky Steinberg

After what they called a huge victory with the successful campaign for newly-elected Homestead Mayor Jeff Porter, the Miami-Dade Democratic Party will divert its efforts to another race several miles away: The Miami Beach commission race in Group 1. The Dade Dems, who stayed out of the heated mayoral race because every single candidate was […]

Philip Levine wins Miami Beach recount; other runoffs are on

Philip Levine wins Miami Beach recount; other runoffs are on

It’s all over but the crying in Miami Beach for those who supported Commissioner Michael Gongora in his bid to become the next mayor. Or those of us who supported anybody but Philip Levine, the millionaire businessman declared the winner this afternoon after he held on to a narrow margin from Tuesday’s election through an […]

Lots of absentee undervotes in Miami Beach mayoral race

Lots of absentee undervotes in Miami Beach mayoral race

In Miami Beach, the mayoral race was certainly the most exciting contest on the ballot. But it wasn’t the only one. Yet it seems that hundreds of voters who picked millionaire businessman Philip Levine simply did not vote for any of the candidates in the commission races or answer any of the six referendum questions […]

Second chance runoff would be good in Miami Beach race

Second chance runoff would be good in Miami Beach race

Let’s not write Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora off just yet. The nail-biter election in that city just drew a recount. While millionaire mayoral candidate Philip Levine may have won 50.48 percent of the vote Tuesday, the narrow margin called for an automatic recount after the provisional votes counted today did not push him toward […]

Miami Beach mayor’s post costs Philip Levine plenty

Miami Beach mayor’s post costs Philip Levine plenty

Millionaire Philip Levine‘s considerable campaign investment was apparently another smart business move, as evidenced Tuesday when the political neophyte media mogul won the Miami Beach mayoral race outright, without a need for a runoff, with just over 50 percent of the vote. Fifty point 48, actually. At one point, it was 52.44% when it was […]